The government’s five-year mental health plan was generally well received on Tuesday, among other things for the increased support it gives to the community, but it does not provide a clear answer to the nagging problem of psychological waiting lists .
“No government has done the same,” said Minister Delegate for Health and Social Services, Lionel Carmant, of the 2022-2026 Interministerial Mental Health Action Plan. Perhaps, but rarely has Quebec experienced so many mental health needs, deplore some critics and observers.
To deal with it, Quebec is injecting an additional $361 million, including $15 million per year in support of community organizations working in mental health. “It’s a step in the right direction,” according to Jean-Rémy Provost, of the organization Relief, which helps people suffering from anxiety, depression and bipolarity. However, if the government is currently talking about getting out of the tunnel, he says, “we underestimate what is coming in mental health”.
Enthusiastic, the Regroupement des centers de prevention du suicide is also delighted that we are injecting funds into the community. “It’s been a long time since we had any money,” said his spokesperson, Lynda Poirier.
On the opposition side, the Liberal critic for mental health, David Birnbaum, points out that community organizations in this area are “out of breath” and judges that all their needs will not be met in this way.
We underestimate what is coming in mental health
“By failing to include a strategy for recruiting and retaining psychologists in the public network, we will not go far,” argues his colleague from Québec solidaire Sol Zanetti.
“There is still a lack of 895 psychologists in the public sector, a major problem”, recalled in this regard the deputy Joël Arseneau, of the Parti Québécois.
According to Minister Carmant, approximately 20,000 people are currently waiting for mental health follow-up in Quebec. On Tuesday, he reiterated that not all people need a psychologist or psychiatrist and invited people in distress to contact the Info-Social 811 service, which can provide them with shorter-term follow-up by other professionals, such as social workers.
Two new crisis centers
The Minister also announced the creation of two mental health crisis centres, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and in Estrie, regions which, unlike others, did not have any.
This $85 million project will allow the population to have access to temporary accommodation at all times in order to “reduce hospitalizations while promoting the recovery of people in the community”.
“The community has been asking for it for twenty years,” said Sherbrooke MP Christine Labrie, who has been calling for a crisis center since entering politics.
This action plan was originally supposed to be ready for 2020, but the pandemic dictated otherwise. Additional investments are also planned for young people, among whom the symptoms of depression and anxiety have been twice as prevalent over the past two years.
In the health network, the department will provide managers with training that will help them better support staff.